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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · leaves · stick · root · pop · track · mug · pit

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. track — a path
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — of a word
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mug — a face
  11. track — a song
  12. mug — to rob
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. root — of a plant
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pit — a hole
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. root — the cause
  24. pit — in a race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com